Container closure



Sept. 23, 1941- H. H. MARTIN 2,256,722

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed March 20, 19:59

1-16 rrnnn. H- Martin.

lNVLNTOR ATTORNLTS Patented Sept. 23, 1941 H. H. Martin Products Corporation, Toledo,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 20, 1939, Serial No. 262,816

6 Claims.

This invention relates to container closures, more particularly to closures of the fluid dispensing type, and'the principal object of this invention is to provide new and improved closures of the character described.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating an embodiment of the invention applied to a container, the container being fragmentarily shown,

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view corresponding generally to the line 2--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding generally to the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating parts of the embodiment in disassembled relation.

The embodiment herein shown comprises a closure I0, adapted to be connected to a container H, such as a bottle or the like. The container II, as here shown, is formed with a mouth or opening l2 defined by a neck portion 13, the latter having screw-threads l4 provided thereon.

The closure means, in the embodiment shown, comprises a body or cap means l5, formed of a substantially rigid material, such as a suitable molded plastic material, as for example, plaskon or bakelite. The cap means l5 has a skirt portion l6 formed with interior screwthreads I! adapted to interengage with the screwthreads M formed on the neck I3, so as to hold the body or cap means |5 assembled with the container H. The cap means |5 has also a top wall |8, formed with a tubular portion or boss l9 extending from the upper surface thereof, the opening 20 in the tubular portion communicating with the interior of theskirt portion IS. The extremity of the tubular portion is formed with a valve seat 2|.

Valve means 22 is carried by the cap means I5, and is so constructed and arranged as to move relative to the cap means. The parts comprising the valve means 22 are preferably formed of material similar to that forming the cap means l5. As shown, the Valve means 22 comprises a valve member 23, having a valve surface adapted to cooperate with the valve seat 2|, this valve surface, when seated on the valve seat 2|, sealing the container The valve means 22 also comprises guide means 24, having a plurality of side marginal surfaces of each rib 25 have sliding engagement with the interior surface of the tubular portion l9 and the interior surface of the neck l3, for the purpose of guiding the valve means in its movement. In the embodiment shown, the guide-means comprises four. radial longitudinally extending ribs 25, arranged in substantially cross-formation in transverse section, as best seen in Figure 4. Each rib 25 has a lower widened portion 26 of such width that the adjacent side margins of the ribs 25 slidably engage the interior surface of the bottle neck |3. Each rib 25 has also a narrow portion 21 of such width that the adjacent side margins of the ribs slidably engage the interior surface of the tubular portion l9. Thus the guide means provides a plurality of spaced-apart bearing points, and the guide means operates to guide the valve means 22 in its movement, preferably holding the valve means 22 to longitudinal movement with respect to the bottle neck l3. Connected to the guide means 24 is a threaded stem 28, adapted to be received within a screw-threaded aperture 29 formed in the valve member 23.

To assemble the parts comprising the closure In, it is merely necessary to insert the guide means 24 into the skirt portion IS an amount until the threaded stem 28 extends up to the region defined by the valve seat 2|, and then to thread the valve member 23 onto the valve stem 28, such threading movement being limited by the upper ends, with reference to the draw ing, of the ribs 25. When this is done, the valve member 23 and the guide means 24 will move as a unit. It is preferable to seat a washer 30, of flexible material, such as cork, between the lip margin 3| of the neck I3, and the inner surface of the top wall IE, to provide an efiective seal between the cap means l5 and the container Operation of the closure It is as follows: With the container in substantially upright position, the weight of the valve means-22 is sufficient to hold the valve member 23 in seating relation on the Valve seat 2|, thus sealing the container When the container H is inverted, or tilted a suificient amount, the valve means 22 is caused to move in a direction so-that the valve member 23 is unseated from the valve seat 2|, the widened portions 26 and narrow portions 21 of the ribs 25 sliding respectively along the interior surface of the neck l3 and the interior surface of the tubular portion I9, thus guiding the valve means 22 in its movement, and causing the valve means to move substantially in line. with the axis of the ribs 25 so constructed and arranged that spaced container opening I2.

open position, and said guide means portion being of such lateral extent and so constructed and arranged that it i slidably engageable with the interior surface of the container neck when said cap means is in position on the container neck, so as to guide movement of said valve means.

6. Closure means for a container having a neck surrounding the container opening, com-' prising: cap means, including a skirt adapted to fit about the exterior surface of the container neck, said cap means having a dispensing opening, and being so constructed as to close the container opening except for said dispensing opening; and valve means, carried by said cap means for movement relative thereto, including a valve member constructed and arranged to control flow through said dispensing opening, and guide means connected to said valve member and comprising a plurality of legs extending radially from the longitudinal axis of said valve means, said legs being of such radial extent adjacent said valve member that the defining margins thereof are slidably engageable with the surface defining said dispensing opening, and said legs spaced from said valve member being of greater radial extent forming shoulders with the lesser radial extending part of the legs and being so constructed and arranged as to be slidably engageable with the interior surface of the container neck, said legs through such sliding engagement with said dispensing opening surface and the container neck surface guide movement of said valve means, and said shoulders being engageable with a surface of said cap means to limit opening movement of said valve means.

HERMAN H. MARTIN. 

